|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 5:53 pm
Evan shifted the books in his bag as he stepped outside to call Cambria. He made it to the curb before she picked up and said she was stuck getting an oil change and suggested that he walk home. Which, was an absolutely horrifying thought but when she had asked if that was all right, of course he’d said yes out of fear of disappointing her. The truth was, he’d have rather stayed on the curb until she could come get him than risk walking home alone.
He knew they were two blocks away, but he didn’t know this area as well as he knew the old area. Most of this was still new to him, and he only recognized it from the time he’d spent while Cambria or Zac were driving around and he was in the car with them.
He was standing in front of the library and took a deep breath before nodding to himself. He had worked up his resolve. If he walked fast, he could be home in eight minutes. It wasn’t too dark yet and he tried to justify that it would be unlikely for anything to attack him before the sun was good and set—but he knew what faulty logic that was.
He mentally tracked the path home and repeated all the street names he could remember—and, more importantly, tried to summon all the houses on every corner.
He was satisfied after a few seconds—now, all he had to do was make it home.
With one final breath, he took a step off the curb and began hastily walking home.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 5:58 pm
Emily had been wondering and worrying about the boy, this Evan...and honestly, she would have worried about each and every Evan she met until she found the one she was looking for...but...she had to figure out if this was that Evan.
She let the other librarian know she was stepping out for a few minutes, and swiftly powered up into Bellite. Moving quickly, she followed Evan from the shadows, waiting until he was in an area between several vacant lots. Quietly she stepped out from behind one of the trees and looked at him. “Hello there. You seem like you’re in a hurry...is everything all right?”
She sounded like a Grade A creeper and that wasn’t her intentions...but...but what was she going to do?
“What’s your name, kid?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 5:59 pm
Strange voices from strange people was enough to immediately put Evan on edge; the fact that she was wearing an outfit like that made him suddenly freeze.
In the back of his mind, Evan saw flashes of color and familiarity, but it seemed like any time he had to think about the Negaverse he just froze up.
His skin paled and he suddenly became clammy as he stared at her. After a few awkward seconds of silence, he managed to mouth his name—but he had no voice. It took two tries more before he could say, “Evan,” but even then it was an uncertain whisper.
“I’m fine,” he continued, “I’m just going home.”
Except, now he couldn’t, could he? She could follow him. She could find out where he lived, and then she’d know all about Zac and Cambria and—
Evan’s mind was reeling and he couldn’t seem to settle on any single train of thought; he just stared blankly, unable to truly process what was happening—or what he should be doing about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 5:59 pm
Bellite nodded quietly, still watching him. “Evan like...the Evan who was a youma at one point in time? If you’re not that Evan, then I apologize for bothering you, and startling you. It wasn’t my intention…”
He looked so scared, a trait that he at least shared with the small, frightened little youma. “I...I’m Bellite. Sanidine was my General.”
She hoped that that would have been enough information for him. He wasn’t acting as though he was part of the Negavrse...but even so, she didn’t want to just out her former General as a traitor, she wasn’t really that kind of a person.
“I’m looking for that Evan...so, you’ll have to forgive me.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:00 pm
Evan watched her with wide eyes, stunned now more than before. At some point, he’d forgotten how to breathe. It was only when he felt a warm, stinging from his fingers that he realized how tightly he’d been clutching his bag.
It was enough to ground him; he drew in a breath and tore his gaze away, half turning from her.
“I’m not a youma,” he muttered quietly, but it seemed like it was more directed to himself than her. “I don’t want anything to do with the Negaverse, please,” he said. He couldn’t lie; he wanted to, but anything intelligent had left his mind.
“I just want to go home. I don’t want any trouble, please.”
His hand had gone over his chest instinctively, like he was desperate to protect his starseed.
He still had nightmares about Cavansite.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:00 pm
He was really frightened, and Bellite felt utterly awful. “I know you’re not a youma...I can see that, and I don’t want you to be. That’s what I’m trying to say. I...I was brought into the Negaverse to help that Evan become human again...and now I’ve been told that he is...and if that’s you...I just wanted to know. To see for myself that you’re okay…”
She wanted so badly to go and hug him, to just do something to make him feel better, but she kept her distance...this wasn’t about her, no matter how much she was trying to make it so.
“I’ll leave if you want me to. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:00 pm
For a few seconds, Evan faltered; he wanted her to leave, but he didn’t want to be alone. She wasn’t acting like Cavansite, but could it have all been a trick?
Reluctantly, he forced himself to dig through some of the memories he’d had while a youma and her face kept popping up. He knew her; she’d tried to help. She’d been kind, and hardworking.
But she was still in the Negaverse, and nothing good would ever come of them.
“No,” he said after a second. “You just…you freaked me out. I’m trying to get used to things, but everything is still just a little—a lot—overwhelming. I—I don’t like the Negaverse,” he confessed bluntly. “It’s not a good place. They turn people into monsters. I’m—I’m sorry for getting upset. It’s sort of my natural state. But,” he swallowed the lump in his throat. “But it’s nice to see you, Bellite. I mean. It’s nice to meet you, since I know this is the first time we’ve actually…talked…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:01 pm
Bellite felt her eyes welling with tears and quickly wiped them away. “It’s...you can’t imagine how nice it is to be talking with you, Evan. It’s such an honor...I...I bet you don’t like it...I…” She wasn’t sure what to say and shrugged. “I know that Sanidine left, and I know he has half a mind to try to convince me to leave it as well...and I’ve been putting a lot of thought into that...but...I just…”
She shrugged helplessly.
“I hope you’re doing well...you look well, and you’ve gotten so tall since the last time I saw you.” The lieutenant gave a slight grin and shrugged again. “I guess you’re not really in the mood for humor though, are you...but...you do look well, are you happy?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:12 pm
Evan forced a laugh to try and make her feel better about the joke but as soon as he’d finished, his eyes were on the ground again. “I mean, I’m okay. It’s a process. But I’m working on it. I’m sort of. A little anxious to be outside. I don’t like it. Anyone could find you. I had a Negaverse agent stick their hand in my chest and take my starseed and I’m afraid she’s going to see me and try to finish the job. Sanidine stopped her that time, but he’s not here right now.”
He had goosebumps covering his skin and rubbed at his chest instinctively, now as if to dispel some phantom pain.
He swallowed dryly.
“You. You should leave it, though. The Negaverse. I don’t know that anything good can come of it. I have nightmares all the time, I don’t know how every doesn’t. The Rift is scary. The Youma are scary.”
Cavansite’s face flashed in his mind again and he shuddered. “The agents are scary. You’re not like them, though. You’re nice. You’re being nice now, and you were nice before. And if you only joined to help fix me…I’m fixed, right? Why…why stay? The Negaverse just does bad things, and you aren’t bad…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:12 pm
“No...Sanidine isn’t here right now. He’s gone forever honestly.” Bellite sighed and looked rather sad by that, leaning against a tree. “I’ll keep thinking about it...maybe if I do leave them...you and I could perhaps be friends? I know you might not know me so well, but I feel as though I know all about you. Sanidine would talk so often about you, and I was excited to become friends with you when it was all over...I have to admit, I sort of really feel protective of you. Like an aunt or something. Aunt Bellite. Though...I realize that sounds incredibly stupid, and I’m sorry.”
Giving a rueful smile, Bellite sighed. “Nobody’s going to hurt you again. I’ll keep an eye out for you, and if anyone does bother you. You just tell your Aunt Bellite, and she’ll...try to kick their butts. I’m not very good with the violence, but I’d be violent to protect you, kid. Honest.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:18 pm
He found himself nodding when she suggested being friends. “…I’m supposed to be out making more friends. Um. I don’t know about Aunt, but…”
Who was he to argue?
He seemed embarrassed and shrugged. “I mean, if you want that, okay. If you do purify…you have to let me know. I think…I don’t know,” he shrugged and toed at the ground. “…Maybe it would be easy to talk to someone who had purified. I don’t know. But…we could be friends.”
Even though every bone in his body told him this was a bad idea and to run home.
But, he knew Bellite. She had tried to fix him.
She was, perhaps, one of the only Negaverse agents who he could talk to. Any other ones…and he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t just pass out on sight.
And, if she was so trustworthy…”
Hesitantly he looked up at her. “…Is this area safe? …I mean, if I walk home alone, nothing bad usually happens around here, right? Because, I…I think I like the library, a lot, but…I don’t know. Have you just been, uhm…talking to every Evan?” he asked after another second of letting that information sink in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:19 pm
“Well, I mean I’m too old to be your sister or anything, you can’t be much older than twenty, so...Aunt is about the best thing I could be.” She tried to smile and when he seemed to agree, the smile only grew. “I think the area’s safe, I mean, this is mostly where I keep to, and I haven’t run into many of my group around here. A few knights, sure, but they’re harmless to you. Nobody on the side of order would ever hurt you, I’m sure of that. Watch out for one though, she’s really...really weird and very annoying. She talks like she wishes she were from the stone age. All thees and thous. I wasn’t...well. It’s not important.”
He didn’t need to know every detail of her life...but it was easy to talk to him...how often had she spoken to him before this? Let him curl up in her lap as she did research…?
This was Evan.
“And if I ever see you, are you okay with me stopping by and saying hello? I can make sure you get on you way safe that way, if you don’t mind. I want to protect you. Or at least try to.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:19 pm
“I’ll be twenty one soon,” Evan answered sort of half-heartedly; he didn’t really care. It wasn’t like he was going to have a big birthday or go clubbing.
“But, uhm. Thanks. For the heads up about the area and all, I really appreciate that. I’ll watch out for any weirdo Knights. You can say hi if you see me. Just—just call my name, first. Or else you might spook me. But I’d really appreciate any help being safe,” he sighed. “Even if it’s just a heads up on what direction I should avoid. I’m trying to be really careful with everything. I don’t want to get into any more trouble, I think I’ve had enough of that for one life.”
He managed a quick, shy smile at that before he toed the ground in front of him somewhat sheepishly. It wasn’t that he had a hard time talking to her, just that he hadn’t had this much socialization with anyone but Cambria or Zac in quite a while and he seemed to be trying to figure out what was chatty enough and what was too chatty.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:35 pm
“Well. Happy early birthday then.” Bellite managed another smile and nodded at his request to just call his name…it didn’t seem like too difficult of a thing to do. “You get on home now, I’ll let you be. Thank you for letting me know that you’re safe. It’s good to know. Good to see you looking…healthy.”
And human. But…healthy was good enough of a phrase for now.
Moving closer to him, the lieutenant briefly placed a hand against his cheek, and then turned, quickly leaving the civilian behind so that he could get home. She wouldn’t follow. She didn’t want to make him nervous, but she stayed around the area just to make sure that nothing else followed.
It was the least she could do for him now. Or perhaps…it was the most she could do for him now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 9:49 am
Evan managed another smile; he seemed like he was still learning how to let himself be happy. “Thanks,” he said, and sounded like he meant it. He was ready to go home, ready to be inside and safe and away from people—even if they were being nice to him.
Which was a strange concept, given his general experience with the Negaverse, but he couldn’t really even be upset. His heart was pounding a little with the idea of any sort of risk, but Bellite had been nothing but kind to him. Usually people touching him made him feel a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t draw away when Bellite put her hand on his cheek. He was afraid, but not so much that he felt like he needed to scream and run. For a second, it even almost felt reassuring.
Which made him even more uncertain about all of this. When she withdrew her hand and moved away, he hesitated and raised his hand to wave slightly. “Have a good night,” he called and, when he was certain she wasn’t intending on following him, he hurried home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
